maxman927 wrote:i think they should wait and buy some 'lectrics to get ready for the N-S link.

Why doesn't the MBTA already have electric locos?

Every other commuter railroad in the Northeast, save SLE, owns some sort of electric equipment. The MBTA already operates passenger equipment and consists similar to NJ Transit and MARC, but those railroads are able to fly trains along the NEC @ 100mph and 125mph repsectively when using electric power?

Maybe the MBTA should purchase some ALP-46 or HHP-8 locomotives instead of the MP36 locos.

maxman927 wrote:i think they should wait and buy some 'lectrics to get ready for the N-S link.

Why doesn't the MBTA already have electric locos?

Every other commuter railroad in the Northeast, save SLE, owns some sort of electric equipment.

Every other commuter railroad inherited substantial amounts of electrified trackage from Conrail and its predecessors. The T only has one route that's electrified, and it's simply not cost effective to have dedicated equipment for just one line. Even to operate electrics on that route would require expensive electrification projects at Southampton Street and Readville, and perhaps even the entire Fairmount Line for access to the latter. There's no money available for even that minimal electrification, never mind electrifying the rest of the southside.

"The destination of this train is [BEEP BEEP]" -announcement on an Ashmont train.

Whatever they do end up getting, it is very unlikely that they will be standard MP36's either. MBTA previously held an option for additional MP36 units on the Utah procurement and did not exercise it. They subsequently decided to do a separate RFP to their own specification. The locomotives recently announced by Wabtec to begin delivery to MARC in a couple months may be the remaining option units on the Utah transaction. If so, there may not be any more option units available to other organizations from that purchase.

maxman927 wrote:i think they should wait and buy some 'lectrics to get ready for the N-S link.

Why doesn't the MBTA already have electric locos?

Every other commuter railroad in the Northeast, save SLE, owns some sort of electric equipment.

Every other commuter railroad inherited substantial amounts of electrified trackage from Conrail and its predecessors. The T only has one route that's electrified, and it's simply not cost effective to have dedicated equipment for just one line. Even to operate electrics on that route would require expensive electrification projects at Southampton Street and Readville, and perhaps even the entire Fairmount Line for access to the latter. There's no money available for even that minimal electrification, never mind electrifying the rest of the southside.

well, can't they design a hybrid loco that can run off a panto when catenary is availible and runs off diesel when it's not?

Amtrak has P32AC-DMs that can run off a third rail when inside New York's Penn Station. (Diesel emissions are not allowed in that tunnel) and runs diesel everywhere else.

maxman927 wrote:i think they should wait and buy some 'lectrics to get ready for the N-S link.

Why doesn't the MBTA already have electric locos?

Every other commuter railroad in the Northeast, save SLE, owns some sort of electric equipment.

Every other commuter railroad inherited substantial amounts of electrified trackage from Conrail and its predecessors. The T only has one route that's electrified, and it's simply not cost effective to have dedicated equipment for just one line. Even to operate electrics on that route would require expensive electrification projects at Southampton Street and Readville, and perhaps even the entire Fairmount Line for access to the latter. There's no money available for even that minimal electrification, never mind electrifying the rest of the southside.

well, can't they design a hybrid loco that can run off a panto when catenary is availible and runs off diesel when it's not?

Amtrak has P32AC-DMs that can run off a third rail when inside New York's Penn Station. (Diesel emissions are not allowed in that tunnel) and runs diesel everywhere else.

That is pointless! We only run under 1 line with overhead catenary so why waste time designing a loco that can only run the option on 1 line out of 14?? The MBTA runs diesel locomotives only and that is how it is going to be for quite some time, we won't see any type of electrics anytime soon and it is easier said then done.

AEM7AC920 wrote:That is pointless! We only run under 1 line with overhead catenary so why waste time designing a loco that can only run the option on 1 line out of 14?? The MBTA runs diesel locomotives only and that is how it is going to be for quite some time, we won't see any type of electrics anytime soon and it is easier said then done.

I disagree that operating electrics over only 1 line would be pointless. I'm guessing that the NEC MBTA line is either the busiest, or one of the busiest lines in the system. If so it would make sense to use electrics on that 1 line.

MARC currently operates 4 AEM-7s and 6 HHP-8s on the NEC Penn Line (DC-BALT-Perryville)--MARC's busiest line. MARC's other two lines are non-electrified CSX ROW, so the electrics are limited to the one line. The use of electrics is definitely worth it, as it allows MARC to take full advantage of the 125mph top speed on that line, making MARC the fastest commuter railroad in the country. While about half the trains on the Penn Line are still diesel-powered (especially the midday trains), all of the longer trains are powered by electric locos. Part of the reason for this is because MARC's GP40s only have enough HEP for 6 cars, and the GP39s only have enough for 4 cars.

I also am willing to speculate that it would be cheaper to operate electrics on those long trains in electrified territory, rather than paying for diesel fuel. I think the MBTA should just buy some secondhand AEM-7s from Amtrak.

realtype wrote:I think the MBTA should just buy some secondhand AEM-7s from Amtrak.

Amtrak has no electric locos that they could sell off. They need every unit they have. The T has no way to maintain electric equipment. And operationally speaking the T does not run dedicated equipment to one line. The best example is the Old Colony trains run everywhere on the South Side and you see regular trains on the Old Colony.

So lets move off this subject and get back on topic. The has put out it's RFP, we have an idea what we are getting. Lets stick to what we know the T is looking to purchase.